I am a Woman & I Choose Edwards by "sarahlane"

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/7/25/114228/247

This is an excellent diary that "sarahlane" posted on Daily Kos. It underlines the importance to nominate someone who will fight for ALL Americans no matter their gender, race, faith, economic status, or sexual orientation.

I am a Woman & I Choose Edwards

by sarahlane

Wed Jul 25, 2007 at 08:42:28 AM PDT

There has been lots of back and forth about remarks made by Elizabeth Edwards where she said she believes her husband is the best women's advocate in the race. She also addressed the perception that a woman should naturally vote for a woman candidate because they are a woman. I believe, as Elizabeth does, that it's not gender that matters most, but how much a candidate would affect women as a whole in America. All of candidates in the race have great record on women's issues. Hillary Clinton has a long history of fighting for equal pay, and both Hillary and Obama have done their fair share to help with reduce the number of unwanted pregnancies by way of education. The reality is, all of our candidates are pro-choice, are adamant about doing something to fight physical abuse of women, and want to make sure women get the same opportunities that men do. It's not a matter of which candidate is better than any other on women's issues, it's which candidate you think will affect the most women's lives if they are elected POTUS. Everybody has their opinion on the matter, and here's mine........

Now, for a little backtrack, let's look at Edwards record on women's issues when he represented North Carolina in the Senate. For some reason his advocacy for women's issues have gone largely unnoticed in the blogosphere. Yes, he got a 100% rating from NARAL and Planned Parenthood, and has been endorsed by Kate Michelman for POTUS, but that's just the icing on the cake. Even though Edwards was only in the Senate for one term, his positions on a woman's right to choose couldn't be more clear:

Woman's Right to Choose

Edwards is for a Federal Freedom of Choice Act, which would protect a woman's right to choose no matter if Roe is eventually overturned. He came out in favor of this publicly back in 2003.

Edwards opposes the Global Gag Rule, which Bush reinstated during his tenure, the gag rule would prevent an organization receiving federal or UN dollars if they perform abortions, or counsel people about abortions.

When Edwards had the chance to vote for or against AG nominees or SCOTUS nominees such as Priscilla Owen, John Ashcroft and Bill Pryor, he did. He also was a very vocal opponent against the nominations of Alito and Roberts after he had left the Senate.

When the Senate pulled a fast one of many politicians with the passage of the Unborn Victims of Violence Act, Edwards was not one of them. He knew that the passage of this act would put Roe V Wade into jeopardy, so he voted against it.

Back in October of 1999, Edwards voted to lift the ban on women having abortions on military bases. He also voted to allow military women overseas to have abortions.

Edwards also voted against restrictions for funding abortions for federal employees and other residents of DC. He also voted against a ban on partial birth abortion five times while in the Senate. So, now it's pretty obvious to you all where he has stood when it comes to choice. Let's review other legislation he sponsored and co-sponsored that would have helped women all across America...

Women in Trauma Act

In 2002, Edwards introduced this act which would have funded shelters all across America, and helped them improve mental health and substance abuse services for women who are affected by domestic or sexual violence.

Counseling in Shelters Act

Edwards introduced this act to provide federal funding to enable shelters and other `community-based` providers to hire mental health and substance abuse counselors to help victims.

Funding Breast Cancer Research

Edwards co-sponsored several bills to provide additional funding for breast cancer research and to promote awareness of the disease. Edwards also authored a bill to increase awareness of the link between periodontal disease in pregnant women and birth defects.

Supporting Equitable Coverage of Contraceptives

In 1999, and in 2001 Edwards co-sponsored two bills to require health insurance companies provide equitable coverage of contraceptives. When a bill finally hit the floor back in 2003, he voted to require insurance companies cover contraceptives.

What about equality in the workplace? Or, lending a helping hand to working families who have just had a baby? Or allowing women to choose their OBGYN as their primary care provider?

Paycheck Fairness Act

Edwards co-sponsored this act which would penalize employers for not giving women equal pay for equal work.

Family Leave Tax Credit

Edwards proposed a 2,500 tax credit for working families who have a baby but cannot afford to take off work. It would have helped 3.5 million families each year.

Patients Bill of Rights

Edwards co-sponsored this bill which would have forced the HMO's to pay up for the health care they're supposed to cover. Edwards also was an advocate for allowing women to choose their OBGYN as their primary care provider as well as providing inpatient care after any mastectomy, lumpectomy, or lymph node dissection.

There's plenty more bills he authored and co-sponsored that would have helped women, but what about his proposals today? How will Edwards become a champion for women? Right now, women make nearly .77 to every man's dollar. There are 18 million women who do not have health insurance. Women make up over 61% of the American workforce working for minimum wage. Who will best represent these women? IMO, it's a no-brainer, Edwards has the boldest policy proposals on the table that will directly affect millions of America women.

Ending Poverty for Women

Right now 21 million women live in poverty. Edwards has multiple proposals to help lift them out of poverty. His Stepping Stones Jobs Program will lift 1 million Americans each year out of unemployment and get them to work. Edwards has proposed raising the minimum wage to $9.50 by the year 2012, which will directly help millions of Americans who are suffering from low wages. Edwards is also a proponent of the card check, expanding the SEIU and other unions as well as creating new ones, and is wholeheartedly trying to reignite the labor movement in this country. Edwards has also proposed Work Bonds, which would match savings up to $500 a year for a low income worker. Lastly, and maybe most importantly his Universal Health Care Plan will be a welcome relief to single mom's who can't afford insurance, or even if they can afford it, it will be cheaper monthly and help them financially in a big way. Insurance is expensive, and if a single mom cannot afford to pay a dime, her insurance and her children's will be covered through subsidies.

Helping Women by way of Taxes

Edwards will also expand the EITC, and triple it for low income workers without children. Edwards will also reduce the marriage penalty for families struggling to make ends meet.

Reining in on Predatory Lending, Credit Card Co. & Mortgage Company Abuses

Women make up a large portion of the population who end up being victims of predatory lending, and all too often, they are elderly women on fixed incomes. These three industries need more regulation, and with Edwards that's exactly what you will get. Whether it's his proposal for a Home Rescue Fund to help women facing foreclosure, or enacting a national law against predatory lending or reinstating the 10 day grace period on credit card bills to give people relief from high late fees, he's got our back.

Protecting a Woman's Right to Choose

Here's a statement by Edwards on a woman's right to choose:

"I strongly support a woman's right to privacy & reproductive choices. It is essential to the full equality and dignity of women, and today it is under attack. I will guarantee this right."

Edwards is for a Federal Freedom of Choice Act which would ensure that a woman's right be protected no matter who gets elected to SCOTUS. This is a biggie for me, because we never know who can and will be elected to SCOTUS in the future, and Roe will always be threatened. This is a way to protect Roe from a conservative President and a conservative court.

Edwards opposes the Child Custody Protection Act, because it puts a woman's health in danger and burden's a woman's right to choose. Edwards opposes Gag Rules and Global Gag Rules that prevent organizations from getting funding if they perform abortions or counsel women about abortions. Edwards opposes a ban on partial birth abortion as well.

Preventing Unwanted Pregnancies

Edwards supports sex education for kids of the appropriate age, and Title X family planning services. He is for forcing insurance companies to cover contraceptives. He is also for improving access to emergency contraceptives.

The Supreme Court

Edwards will nominate judges who have demonstrated a commitment to full range of constitutional protections. This is also a biggie for me, I don't want the next Democratic President to nominate a moderate who could end up voting conservatively later in life.

Just briefly, here's a few more things that Edwards will do to help women:

Expand the Family and Medical Leave Act

Strongly Support the Paycheck Fairness Act

Expand Resources for Women Entrepreneurs through his REACH Fund

Edwards Pledges to Protect Davis Bacon Act

Edwards will create a Families Savings and Credit Commission to protect families

There are plenty more proposals on the table that will directly affect women, whether it's his College For Everyone Initiative which would help over 2 million students go to college, or his plans to create second chance schools for high school dropouts. I'm sure there are plenty of single moms out there who could use a helping hand sending their kid to college. Even though Edwards is incredibly strong on a woman's right to choose, that's not the biggest issue affecting women in our country. It's a sad fact that 50% of women headed households are renting and not owning their homes. It's a sad fact that 18 million women in America do not have health insurance, or that women only make 77 cents to every dollar a man makes. It shows that we need to do something about women living in poverty, we need to do something to equal the playing field, and we need to lend a helping hand to single mom's by providing Universal Health Care. That said, this is my reasoning for why Edwards is a great advocate for women in America. He will protect our rights, and will make sure to lift millions of American woman up out of poverty. That's why, as a woman I choose to support Edwards for President of the United States!

I'll leave you with a statement by Kate Michelman, the former head of NARAL....

"I believe in John's deep and profound commitment to the issues that matter most in women's lives. From health care, to Iraq, to poverty, to our environment, I know John is the most effective national messenger for the values we share and I have complete confidence that—with our help—he will win the White House and improve the lives of women everywhere."